Delhis air quality improves to poor, minimum temperature settles at 12.6 deg C

Delhis air quality on Sunday improved to the poor category from the very poor a day earlier with the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at 295 at 9 am, according to the Central Pollution Control Board data.

The AQI was very poor in 15 of the 37 monitoring stations. The AQI was at 399 in NSIT Dwarka, 346 in Shadipur, 342 in Anand Vihar, 328 in RK Puram and 326 in Jahangirpuri. Delhis 24-hour average air quality index (RAQI ) stood at 303 on Saturday, improving from 346 on Friday. It was 295 on Thursday. An AQI between zero and 50 is considered good, 51 and 100 satisfactory, 101 and 200 moderate, 201 and 300 poor, 301 and 400 very poor, and 401 and 500 severe. The minimum temperature settled at 12.6 degrees, a notch below the seasons average, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

The relative humidity was recorded at 83 per cent at 8.30 am, the IMD said. The weather department has forecast mainly clear skies during the day and the maximum temperature is expected to settle at 28 degrees Celsius. On Saturday, the maximum temperature settled at 28.3 degrees Celsius, normal during the season, the IMD said. The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on Friday said curbs under Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) would continue in Delhi-NCR as air pollution in the region was showing an upward trend. All construction and demolition work, except essential projects, has been banned in Delhi-NCR under the third stage of GRAP. Brick kilns, hot mix plants and stone crushers are also not allowed to operate. According to the Indian Agricultural Research Institute data, farm fires in Punjab dipped from 3,916 on Friday, the highest this season so far, to 2,467 on Saturday.

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